South America

Ecuador to formally recognize couples in same-sex civil unions

QUITO, Ecuador — Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa on Saturday said that same-sex couples in civil unions can now have their relationships officially recognized by the Ecuador government.

Correa said LGBT people will have “the full constitutional right” to register their civil unions, and have them recorded on their national ID cards, reports AFP.

“If there was any doubt about heterosexual or same-sex civil unions being put on national ID cards, there is none any more,” said Correa, who stressed the reform did not mean same-sex marriage was legal.

Ecuador’s constitution bans same-sex marriage and adoption by same-sex couples, but does grant some rights to “cohabitation partnerships,” regardless if they are civil or Catholic marriages.

Under the new agreement dated August 22, the Registry will establish a classification for domestic partnerships as a status complementary to marriage.